KOZHIKODE: The exit of Mr M.G. Rajamanickam as KSRTC managing director was prompted by the cold war between him and transport minister Thomas Chandy, sources said. Mr Chandy had earlier announced the purchase of 500 Scania buses and also ensured low interest finance for the same. This was without the concurrence of the MD. Later, Mr Rajamanickam contacted the Scania bus company and entered into a contract to hire 100 buses for long-distance services. The KSRTC had agreed to provide the conductor and diesel while the bus company would give the driver and do the maintenance.
On the purchase of electronic ticketing machines, Mr Chandy’s office insisted on buying them from a particular company while the MD wanted to follow tendering procedures. The exit of Mr Rajamanickam, known as a ‘Pinarayi man’ came as a shocker to many employees while a section of trade unions, including CITU, was happy over it. Mr Rajamanickam had been initiating various steps to control the trade unions and also imposed many reforms arbitrarily, inviting the wrath of TUs. A trade union leader told this newspaper that buying 500 buses means gaining a huge sum as commission. “Belittling the minister, the MD entered into a deal with the company to lease out the vehicles which shocked the minister. We were expecting his exit since then,” he added.
However, transport Employees’ Union (AITUC) state general secretary M.G. Rahul said that though there were some conflicts between the organization and the MD, his exit came at the wrong time. “Mr Rajamanickam was on with several reforms to convert the debt-ridden KSRTC into a profit-making entity. We are not against DGP A. Hemachandran, the new MD, but it would be tough for a new man to learn the entire situation and streamline the KSRTC affairs,” he added.
